Film Festivals

The argument proposed here is that an analysis of time as it is manifested by the film festival illuminates both the particularity of the festival's structure and the continuation of its appeal. Equally, through the study of a film festival as a model or figural form we are able to comprehend our contemporary experience of time as it has mutated from a regulated clock-time of the early twentieth century to a more amorphic modality at the beginning of the twenty-first century. In summary, at cinema's inception over a century ago the populace encountered a new temporal regime that forced them to inhabit life as a series of units designated by schedules and conforming to standardized timetables. Cinema famously played it both ways, colluding with the uniformity of an increasingly mass culture in its roll-out of repetitive exhibition programs, but it also broke with the demanding nature of working life in the provision of a new spectacular culture of distraction. If factory life meant clocking in, cinema culture equaled release from duty. If we travel forward 100 years, the patterns of life and the experience of time have radically changed in a climate of deregulation and deinstitutionalization. Both work and leisure (including film viewing) in the process of relocating to the home have become mixed up and overlapping. The collective nature of film viewing is all but lost as film is dispersed across technological forms, locations, and times. In short, the dominant concept of time at the beginning of this century is one of distributed nonalignment. The film festival, however, operates a temporality that runs counter to the deregulated environment in which it exists. To a certain extent this argument runs counter to the paradigmatic features of the film festival as they have been established in a growing body of scholarship that identifies its effectiveness and appeal through spatial terms (De Valck 2007; De Valck and Loist 2009). It is useful to enumerate the most prominent of these at the beginning. First, film festivals provide for film cultures that would otherwise remain marginalized by a dominant, high-budget cinema. These " alternative " films may be minority language, or they may focus on identitarian politics, or they may locate themselves within a minority aesthetic such as cult cinemas. Second, collectively festivals operate routes of distribution where each autonomous site also belongs to a series of nodes that 659_04b_Film Festivals.indd 69 2/12/15 15:06:31

Curating Africa in the Age of Film Festivals offers the first scholarly exploration of the vital yet controversial role played by film festivals in curating particular versions of Africa, African film, African filmmakers, and African audiences. Drawing on fifteen years of Dovey’s work and field research, it takes us on a festive, historical tour, analyzing the curation of Africans at the world fairs, the contemporary curation of African film and African filmmakers at film festivals, and the proliferation of international film festivals across Africa today. Emphasizing the live potential of festivals, the book reveals the complex ways that festivals are co-authored by their organizers and participants, and makes a case for the subjective and contextual nature of aesthetic judgment.

Parte essencial da formação do cinema nacional, o curta-metragem brasileiro não deve ser encarado como um formato à margem. A pesquisa busca compreendê-lo como um formato fílmico único, mapeando as mudanças no formato de curta duração ao longo da história do cinema no Brasil principalmente a partir dos seguintes eixos: suas especificidades, o circuito exibidor e o circuito distribuidor. Por fim, o trabalho apresenta a dinâmica contemporânea da produção audiovisual de curtas-metragens, em especial a partir dos novos desafios e potencialidades emergentes com a crescente digitalização das mídias.

L’economia del film è un’area di ricerca relativamente giovane e in espansione dedicata all’industria cinematografica e allo studio delle logiche che governano le sue attività. Il volume analizza i processi di finanziamento, produzione, distribuzione e circolazione dei film, il mercato cinematografico, i protagonisti tradizionali e di più recente comparsa che operano nel settore (come Netflix e Amazon), e la complessa rete di politiche europee, nazionali e locali che regolamentano e sostengono il sistema, soffermandosi di volta in volta a riflettere sulle diverse forme di valore che il film assume per gli stakeholder coinvolti. Il film è infatti un prodotto complesso, su cui convergono interessi pubblici e privati diversificati, istanze artistiche ed economiche, frutto di un processo che si declina in maniera differente a seconda della cultura produttiva di cui è espressione. Questa complessità da una parte articola il ruolo che il film ricopre all’interno del sistema economico e della società contemporanea; dall’altra rende più che mai complesso quantificare e determinare il suo successo.

This paper is a discussion of how and why film should be considered heritage, by analysing the role of the Cannes Film Festival (CFF) in turning films into a form of heritage, through a number of different initiatives focused on the preservation and promotion of films as heritage. In doing so, the present article charts the evolution of the CFF against the background of cultural diplomacy and heritage. Studying the CFF from a heritage perspective will contribute to theoretical debates that situate film festivals as places where memories and identities are contested and negotiated. The paper will show that these heritage-making initiatives are a result of the ability of the CFF to respond to changes taking place in an age of international contact, to accommodate new trends, new films and emerging national film industries. Within this context, this paper also addresses a gap in film festival scholarship by engaging in heritage theory to further expand cultural and heritage insights.

The essays collected in this book focus on unusual relations and marginal objects, with the purpose to draw a portrait of Luchino Visconti less fossilized than that resulting from canonical authorial perspectives, and more vividly connected to both ideological clashes and the secular interests of cultural industry. These ten essays (five of which previously unpublished) cover neglected aspects (and the reasons of their removal) surfacing in sometimes extravagant aesthetic contrasts (between Hollywood and Thomas Mann, Greek theater and avant-garde, political commitment and popular cinema); in harmonies and dissonances in the collaborations with Marcello Mastroianni, Nino Rota and Helmut Berger; in the often gross comments of the extreme right-wing press; in the hostility of the Venice Film Festival; in the distortions produced by the lens of popular culture through political or even porn parodies, post-1968 ironies, and unexpected affinities with popular genres. What come out are new readings of films such as "White Nights", "Rocco and His Brothers", “Sandra", “Ludwig" and "Conversation Piece", but also a general revision of Visconti’s career.

Posté par revueprojections ⋅ mars 29, 2016 ⋅ Poster un commentaire Qu'est-ce qu'un festival ? Comment met-on sur pied un festival ? Quel est le fonctionnement d'un festival ? Voici quelques questions parmi d'autres que nous avions envie de poser aux organisateurs du BIFFF (le Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival) qui proposent annuellement, début avril, deux semaines de divertissements aux amateurs de films de genres. C'est Jonathan Lenaerts, le Press Officer du festival, qui s'est chargé de répondre à nos questions. Avant toutes choses, nous souhaiterions que vous nous expliquiez ce qu'est un festival : est-ce une plateforme commerciale où se rencontrent essentiellement producteurs et distributeurs ? Est-ce un endroit où les distributeurs, si ceux-ci ont déjà acquis les droits d'un film, font une projection « test » face à un public averti ? Est-ce un évènement incontournable en ce qui concerne la promotion d'un film ? Est-ce autre chose encore ? Un festival peut prendre toutes les formes précitées : certains sont des passerelles pour la promotion de films distribués (Gérardmer, par exemple), d'autres font office de marchés pour booster les ventes à l'international (Berlin, Cannes, l'AFM…). Passer par un festival pour promouvoir un film, c'est s'assurer un vernis de prestige, garantir un label qualité essentiel pour l'aspect marketing qui suit. Mais cela peut être à double tranchant : un mauvais article peut ruiner toute la promotion prévue. De fait, on doit être sûr de son produit. En quoi le BIFFF est-il différent des autres festivals ? Que peut-on y faire tant au niveau des spectateurs que des professionnels du cinéma ? Le BIFFF, c'est d'abord l'oeuvre de passionnés. Dès le départ, il n'y avait aucun calcul par rapport aux firmes de distribution ou de volonté d'en faire un outil de communication uniquement destiné aux professionnels. Dans les statuts de l'ASBL (Peymey Diffusion) [1] à l'initiative du festival, c'est clairement indiqué que le but visé est de sortir le fantastique, sous toutes ses formes, de ses ornières (cf. Art 3 des statuts). Le BIFFF a dès lors multiplié ses activités, déclinant le fantastique sous forme de films, d'expos, d'animations, etc. Pour en revenir aux films, le festival a toujours mis un point d'honneur à présenter des films inconnus, fragiles, voire peu attendus qu'on a été glaner aux quatre coins du monde. Toujours sortir de sa zone de confort, plutôt que de présenter du mainstream au public acquis. Résultat ? La majorité de notre sélection ne sera jamais vue en salle, mais une partie bénéficiera d'une sortie DVD ou VOD grâce à leur passage au BIFFF. Et pour ce qui est de nos spectateurs, ce qu'ils recherchent, c'est qu'on les surprenne, qu'ils découvrent quelque chose d'unique dans une ambiance tout aussi unique ! Pour les professionnels venus présenter leurs films, tous nous ont dit que notre ambiance était « souvent imitée, jamais égalée » : ils ont un retour cash et sincère de la part d'une audience survoltée. C'est assez proche de l'arène de gladiateurs – toutes proportions gardées – et à mille lieues de

Creative Nation is the first Reader on Australian Cinema and Cultural Studies published in India that introduces Australian films (historical, contemporary, art house, short, digital and documentary) as well as cultural texts (pop and hip hop, popular theatre, film music, Aboriginal songs and music, mass art, queer and photographic culture) for an international scholarship in order to broaden Australian studies in nations that have recently begun to explore this field, especially in Asia. The chapters presented in this Reader analyse dynamic subject matter such as family, moral values, cultural hybridity, Asian-Australian dialogues, gender and racial stereotypes, the representation of Australianness, Indigenous Australia, national symbols, mythology, and the representation of outback, suburban and metropolitan spaces in Australian cinema and culture in the broad context of globalization and international co-production.

This paper is about two things. On the one hand it tries to observe some of the changes after the digital revolution, changes that had an impact on film festivals. The digital projection and acceptance of digital films to film festivals have been achieved. Yet an aspect of this digitization is under attack. The film submissions through digital portals. The second aspect is often neglected and an under the other topic: short film festivals, especially for and by the young.

"Lo (trans)nacional como eje del circuito de festivales de cine. Una aproximación histórica al diálogo Europa-América Latina", en Imagofagia, número 17, 2018, pp. 11-40 > https://www.asaeca.org/imagofagia/index.php/imagofagia/article/view/1441


Resumo: Este trabalho analisa, a partir de uma perspectiva histórica, os usos e atualizações que as categorias do " nacional " e do " regional/transnacional " têm tido nos festivais de cinemas. Em alguns momentos houve, nesse contexto, mudanças substanciais que alteraram as relações entre as cinematografias do mundo e o circuito de festivais, assim como as dinâmicas e mecanismos de seleção desses eventos. Entretanto, os festivais seguem sujeitos a categorias geopolíticas, mantendo vigentes as etiquetas nacionais e regionais. A partir do diálogo que existe entre o cinema da América Latina e os festivais internacionais e temáticos, veremos como o uso contemporâneo das ditas categorias é manifestado nos próprios nomes da seções nas quais se organizam os filmes programados, e como essas nomenclaturas contribuem, ao mesmo tempo, para delimitar a extensão e o corpus das categorias geopolíticas referidas. Palavras-chave: festivais de cinema, cinema latino-americano, cinemas nacionais, cinema transnacional, coproduções, Cannes 1968.

Abstract: From an historical perspective, this article analyses how the categories “national” and “regional/transnational” have been used and updated in the arena of film festivals since 1930s. At some point there were significant changes which seriously affected the relationships among cinemas of the world and film festivals that at the same time modified the procedures of programming that take place in these film events. However, film festivals are still under the influence of geopolitical categories, keeping alive the 'national' and 'regional' labels above mentioned. This article analyses these phenomena focusing on the dialogue between Latin American cinema and festivals which are defined as international and themed events. With this main objective, this work studies how the use of these categories is highly relevant for naming the different sections where films are organised in each festival. At the same time, this article analyses how the section's names contribute to delimitate the geopolitical categories of national and regional cinema: by defining their geographical borders and the canonical films of each division. Key words: film festivals, Latin American cinema, national cinemas, transnational cinema, coproductions, Cannes 1968.

Events are becoming more complex as their range of functions grows, as meeting places, creative spaces, economic catalysts, social drivers, community builders, image makers, business forums and network nodes. Effective design can produce more successful business models that can help to sustain cultural and sporting activities even in difficult economic times. This process requires creative imagination, and a design methodology or in other words ‘imagineering’.

This book brings together a wide range of international experts in the fields of events, design and imagineering to examine the event design process. It explores the entire event experience from conception and production to consumption and co-creation. By doing so it offers insight into effective strategies for coping with the shift in value creation away from transactional economic value towards social and relational value which benefit a range of stakeholders from the community to policy makers. Mega-events, small community events, business events and festivals in eight different countries are examined providing an international view of social issues in event design.

A wide selection of current research perspectives is employed, integrating both theoretical and applied contributions. The multidisciplinary nature of the material means that it will appeal to a broad academic audience, such as art and design, cultural studies, tourism, events studies, sociology and hospitality.

▶ The book presents the role of festivals in relation to the urban spaces
▶ Provides the overview of the origins, history, and the main factors of
festival development
▶ Presents the case study of the city of Lodz, Poland
▶ Provides a model for studying the role of festivals in the
development of the city space
▶ Multidisciplinary work, intended for a wider audience
▶ Comprehensive and multifaceted publication, which covers both
theoretical and practical issues regarding festival studies
This is a multi-disciplinary scientific monograph referring to urban geography, urban
regions management, event studies, tourism geography, cultural anthropology and
sociology. It covers issues which are typically related to the most popular type of
events: festivals. This book studies the origins, history, and the main factors of festival
development, as well as the concept of a festival in the context of various scientific
disciplines. It presents the existing festival typologies as well as the author's own
comprehensive typology. The theoretical part concerns the basic research methods and
approaches used in the analysis of these events, as well as their impacts on the urban
space in the physical (festival facilities), social (a place where people may pursue their
interests, meet with family and friends) and cultural aspect. The economic aspect of
festivals (generating jobs and income from tourism, using festivals for city branding,
etc.) is also discussed. The book presents practical examples in sub-chapters, references
to literature (further reading) and the case study of the influence of festivals on urban
space management and urban development, using the example of Łódź – a Polish postsocialist
city. It may also be treated as a supplementary course book for students of urban
geography, urban regions management, tourism, event management and, to a certain
extent, anthropology of culture and sociology. 

This article seeks to examine and critically discuss the dynamics between private and public
space in an urban context, in relation to meanings and structures identified as components
of queer identity and culture. Starting from theoretical interrogations regarding urban
space and sexual identities, I will analyze the role and function of a specific socio-cultural
practice: the LGBTQ film festival.
Michel Foucault’s concept of heterotopia is central to the placement of the film festival in the
larger context of urban queer identity formation. The division line between private and
public is explored, as it facilitates the understanding of contemporary social attitudes and
practices, while illuminating clashes of meaning and subjectivity in an urban setting.

Chapter 3 presents empirically informed analyses of a number of new public
space projects initiated first as counter-projects and counter-spaces
by a variety of community and historic preservation society interests.
It demonstrates further that, Vancouver City Council (VCC) proved
receptive to the counter-projects and provided an overarching strategic
spatial framework within which the projects on the ground were
devised and implemented. This chapter also introduces the importance
of the social animation of public space, whether through politicised
collective action or ludic enjoyment. Changing representations of space
through time are shown to have implications for spatial practice on the ground, based on differences in the way social behaviour in public
space is understood and interpreted.

La Parra-Pérez, Pablo. 2021. “El festival fuera del palacio. Una aproximación al ‘68 tardío’ del Festival de San Sebastián.” In Una cultura cinematográfica en transición. España, 1970-1986, ed. Fernando Ramos-Arenas, 361–90. València: Tirant lo Blanch.

Why have we seen such a surge in horror film festivals in the twenty-first century? In this paper, I examine the potential of the horror film festival as a site of subcultural capital for horror filmmakers and audiences as well as an important intersection of formal and informal channels of distribution.

In the migration of drama from one medium to another a text is reshaped, and different audiences are addressed by adaptations because of the process of remediation. This article evaluates the significance of the intermedial migrations that happened to the 'Beckett on Film' project in which Samuel Beckett's 19 theatre plays were performed on stage, then filmed for an international festival, then shown on television in the UK, USA, Ireland and elsewhere. The analysis focuses on the television versions and shows how their distribution and reception contexts framed their meanings in different ways, and assesses how medial migration destabilised the object of analysis itself at the same time as the work became able to address multiple audiences and fulfil different cultural roles.

The last decade has witnessed an explosion of interest in film festivals, with the field growing to a position of prominence within the space of a few short years. Film Festivals: History, Theory, Method, Practice represents a major addition to the literature on this topic, offering an authoritative and comprehensive introduction to the area. With a combination of chapters specifically examining history, theory, method and practice, it offers a clear structure and systematic approach for the study of film festivals.
Offering a collection of essays written by an international range of established scholars, it discusses well-known film festivals in Europe, North America and Asia, but equally devotes attention to the diverse range of smaller and/or specialized events that take place around the globe. It provides essential knowledge on the origin and development of film festivals, discusses the use of theory to study festivals, explores the methods of ethnographic and archival research, and looks closely at the professional practice of programming and film funding. Each section, moreover, is introduced by the editors, and all chapters include useful suggestions for further reading.
This will be an essential textbookfor students studying film festivals as part of their film, media and cultural studies courses, as well as a strong research tool for scholars that wish to familiarize themselves with this burgeoning field.

The Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival was established in 1964. It is considered by many to be Turkey’s foremost film festival—a festive environment where film critics, directors,
stars and spectators mingle in press conferences and parties, a spectacular event likened to Cannes Film Festival by those organising and attending it (Akser, “Antalya” 595). It is the oldest
surviving film festival in Turkey, with a tradition of attendance by local cinephiles, spectacular parades of Turkish film stars and gala events for films that have won international acclaim at
other festivals.

This extended interview with Mexican queer film auteur Julián Hernández, made at the Morelia International Film Festival, addresses his relation to US queer film, his production processes and his artistic practice. It deals especially with his fourth feature Yo soy la felicidad de este mundo/I Am Happiness on Earth.

Pressures of globalisation such as the focus on the growth of productive economies, consumerism, and long work-hours have fragmented cultural beliefs and practices worldwide. Devaluation of deeply held soulful, creative, and nature-based practices in the dominant neoliberal capitalist discourse has challenged the way cultural and spiritual wellbeing are lived. Instead of being completely subsumed into the neoliberal global discourse, local responses incorporating global themes are emerging in the form of the “neo-tribal” festival experience. Although festivals have primarily been seen as places of consumption, this misunderstands the drive to participate in a festival experience. This article investigates a women’s arts and ecology festival held in The Blue Mountains, Australia, where members of the local community celebrate the return of spring. Findings suggest that this festival was a site for reclaiming a localized sense of connectedness, where participants reclaimed what was sacred to them. I will argue that consumerism is secondary to the desire for a sacred synergy of connectedness at this festival where critical creative action challenges the neoliberal and patriarchal discourses in the negotiation of global culture.

Events and festivals have become increasingly important policy tools for cities and regions. They are able to produce a wide range of externalities, including economic impacts, image change, social capital and cultural regeneration. All of these event-related externalities have impacts and effects on the places in which they are staged. In many cases, these event-related impacts are analysed separately, but in fact the most powerful effects of events are more holistic, able to impact not just on individual economic sectors or social groups, but on places as a whole. Over time, the use of events by cities and regions has grown more sophisticated and complex. The range of policy goals for which events are utilised has expanded, and the range and type of events staged has increased as well. Increasingly, public administrations seek to coordinate the events in their jurisdiction to create synergies between events and to maximise the benefits generated. Event policies make frequent references to the development of programmes or " portfolios " of events (Antchak, 2016). The ability of events to effect a broad range of changes in different places has added to their attractiveness as a placemaking tool, and has led to more cities developing " events units " and other forms of event-based

This essay examines how films set in the informal settlements of the Global South are exhibited and awarded at international festivals because of their authentic evocation of ‘Third World’ reality. According to the discourse of global news and aid organizations, the metropolitan areas of developing nations are congested megacities, which are encapsulated by the squalor, criminality, and violence of the slum. The essay analyzes acclaimed works of Filipino filmmaker Brillante Mendoza, which are controversial for being examples of poverty porn. The effort of such films to create authentic realism inevitably generates an excess of meaning that subverts the prevailing urban discourse.

Öz Film festivalleri filmleri, sanatçıyı, sinema emekçilerini ve izleyici kitlelerini buluşturan önemli organizasyon-lardır. Festivallerde film seyretmeye gitmek, gündelik yaşamda sinemaya gitmekten farklıdır. Film festivalleri sadece sinema seyircisini bir araya getirmekle kalmaz, film sanatı ile ilgilenenlere de yeni kapılar aralar. Ben-zer şekilde yönetmen, oyuncu, senaryo yazarı gibi film üretiminde yer alan kişilerle ya da gösterim olanağı bulamamış filmlerin seyirci ile buluşmasına aracılık eder. Aynı içeriği seyredenlerin, filmlerin ardından ko-nuşabilmesi için zemin hazırlar. Sinema tarihinin öne çıkan filmlerini sinema salonu atmosferinde seyredile-bilmesine fırsat verir. Elbette bir film festivalinin kişiye, topluma ve gerçekleştirildiği kente katkıları bu sayılan-larla sınırlı değildir. Bu araştırma ile 18 yıllık bir geçmişe sahip Uluslararası Eskişehir Film Festivali'nin izleyici profilini tanımlan-ma çalışmaktadır. Bu amaçla 06-14 Mayıs 2016 tarih-leri arasında rastlantısal örneklem alma tekniği ile bir anket çalışması gerçekleştirilmiştir. Geçerli 250 anket, SPSS programı ile değerlendirilmiş ve araştırmacıların festival organizasyonu deneyimleri ile harmanlanarak yorumlanmıştır. Ayrıca 2016 yılında Türkiye' deki film festivallerinin bir panoraması ortaya konulmuş ve film festivallerinin sinema sektörüne ve topluma olan etki-lerini ortaya koymak amacıyla yapılan yayınların ge-nel bir taraması da yapılmıştır. Abstract Film festivals are highly important events and organizations that unite films, artists, cinema workers and the viewing audience. Attending a screening at a festival is different than going to the local cinema throughout our daily lives. Film festivals not only unite moviegoers, it also opens new doors for everyone interested in the art of film. Similarly, it facilitates the opportunity for the audience to meet directors, actors, screenwriters and everyone else participating in the production of films as well as the screening of films that previously had not been screened. It provides a platform of discussion for the viewers of common content. It allows prominent films in cinema history to be experienced within the atmosphere of a movie theatre. The contributions of film festivals to individuals, society, and the hosting city are not limited to these influences. This study attempts to determine the audience profile of the Eskisehir International Film Festival, which has been a recurring event for 18 years. In this regard, a survey was conducted between 6-14 May 2016 using random sampling. The 250 valid questionnaires obtained were analysed with the SPSS statistical software and the results were combined with the researchers' festival organisation experiences for interpretation. Additionally , a portrayal of the film festivals in Turkey in the year 2016 was established along with a meta-analysis of the publications regarding the influence of film festivals on the film industry and on society.

While scholars have theorized major film festivals, they have ignored smaller, ephemeral, events. In taking seriously minor European and North-American LGBTQ festivals which often only exist as traces within archival collections, this book revisits festival studies’ method- ological and theoretical apparatuses. As the first ‘critique’ of festival studies from within, LGBTQ Film Festivals argues that both festivals and queer film cultures are by definition ephemeral.The book is organized around two concepts: First, ‘critical festival studies’ examines the political project and disciplinary assumptions that structure festival research. Second, ‘the festival as a method’ pays attention to festivals’ role as producers of knowledge: it argues that festivals are not mere objects of research but also actors already shaping academic, industrial, and popular cinematic knowledge. Drawing on the author’s experience on the festival circuit, this book pays homage to the labour of queer organizers, critics, and scholars and opens up new avenues for festival research.

Antoine Damiens is a FRQSC Postdoctoral Fellow within the Department of English and the Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies at McGill University (Montreal).

  ‘An engaging and original history of queer film festivals and an insider critique of festival studies at large. Damiens has excavated our archives and offered a colourful tapestry of LGBTQ+ struggles over half a century, probing both the friendship and the activism at their core.’
THOMAS WAUGH, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY, CANADA

Despite the proliferation and rising academic interest in online film platforms, the online film festival has never been the subject of serious research. This paper is the first attempt to systematically analyse the implications of locating a film festival in the virtual realm. I will argue that it was primarily the initial enthusiasm about the possibilities of the internet that reigned in the late 1990s that made the establishment of a number of online ventures, such as the online film festivals, possible. Using early online film festivals such as FIFI Festival, Sync Online Film Festival, the SeNeF Festival and the Sundance Online Film Festival as main sources for investigation the article will then show how their virtual location, specific content, and business matters distinguish online film festivals from regular film festivals and how these aspects impacted their historical development. In the final section I will relate these three concerns to a contemporary and relatively suc...